This invention relates to cup infeeders and more particularly relates to a continuously rotating feeder which transports cups to a receiving station where the cups are indexed for engagement by a reciprocating tool that moves parallel to the axis of rotation for the rotating feeder
The main section or body of a so-called two piece metal container includes an elongated cylindrical sidewall, an integral bottom and an open top. Such bodies are often formed in drawing and ironing machines of the type described in the E. Paramonoff, U.S. Pat. No. 3,704,619 issued Dec. 5, 1972 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,735,629 issued May 29, 1973 entitled, respectively, Redraw Blankholder positioning Mechanism for Cup-Shaped Article Formers Such as Metallic Can Body Formers and the Like and Apparatus for Forming One Piece Metallic Can Bodies. Such machines produce can bodies from blanks, in the form of shallow cups, by having a reciprocated ram drive each cup through a die pack which is a series of die elements having openings that are graduated so that the blank passes through the largest opening first and each subsequent opening that the blank is driven through is slightly smaller than the preceding opening through which the blank has been driven.
In prior art apparatus of this type the cups are transferred from a gravity feed chute to a receiving station through which the ram travels. A linearly reciprocated feed element is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,534,202 issued Aug. 13, 1985 to W. W. Snyder for Cup Feeding Mechanism, and a pivoted feed member is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,061,012 issued Dec. 6, 1977 to E. F. Wessman for a Drawing and Ironing Machine With Positive Cup Feeder.
Utilization of reciprocated and/or rocking type feed mechanisms severely limits production rates of prior art machines and often presented maintenance problems.